Clarinets

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Wood treatment

Grenadilla or Mpingo/African blackwood is extremely hard and is one of the densest and heaviest woods around. It will need some care from time to time. This should be done after it has been thoroughly cleaned, otherwise, the wood protection will lie on top of dirt and grease. The wood can either be waxed or oiled.



There are numerous products on the market that also can be applied by the musician. If you decide to do it yourself, it is best to take off all the keys carefully without breaking any springs, clean the tone holes and body with soapy water and then apply the wax or oil. Just be careful that the pads and mechanism don't come in contact with the wood oil since it could damage the pads. The treatment has to be completely dried off before you remount the keys.

We don't recommend soaking the instrument extensively in an oil bath. It gives the instrument a lot of resistance and doesn't provide any additional protection. If you feel uncomfortable doing it yourself, we will be happy to assist you. To determine when to oil an instrument, just look at the surface. If it has turned gray and the pores are openly visible, it is about time.

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